At the meeting the following was agreed: 

Strategic Commissioning and Procurement Strategy 

The Executive agreed a revised Strategic Commissioning and Procurement Strategy 2020-2030. This reflects changes in best practice and ensures that the council pursues sustainable outcomes, value for money and continuous improvement in its commissioning and procurement of goods, services and works. 

Speaking on the strategy, Cllr Marion Fitzgerald, Executive member with responsibility for Policy, Governance and People Resources said: “I really welcome this strategy as it recognises some of the issues we’ve faced in recent years with procurement and seeks to address them. I also welcome the fact that we will seek local suppliers for our goods and services where possible. This is something we need to continue to do.”  

Local Plan (Part 2) 

The Allerdale Local Plan is the statutory development plan for the area of the Borough outside the National Park. Its principal role is to support the delivery of the Council Strategy objectives and the housing and business growth strategies, while providing the policy framework to guide the determination of planning applications. 

The Local Plan (part 2) was submitted in January 2019 to the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government for independent examination. The public hearings took place in May last year. The council received the Inspector’s report in January 2020 which concluded that the Local Plan (part 2) was “sound” subject to a number of modifications. 

The Executive agreed the Local Plan (Part 2). It will now go to council for consideration. 

Presenting the report, Cllr Marion Fitzgerald, Executive Member with responsibility for Policy, Governance and People Resources said: “This is an excellent piece of work and I’d like to thank the staff who put it together but also everyone from the community who has contributed to it. It went for independent examination last year and it was found to be legally ‘sound’. There were a few minor modifications, which is quite normal. What was pleasing and is credit to those who devised the report is that no policy was struck out.” 

Also commenting, Cllr Tony Markley, Executive Member with responsibility for Environmental Services, added: “I welcome this policy document as it sets out land for housing, employment and other uses, but also designates green space land which is great for locals and our tourism industry.” 

Creation of an Executive Shareholder Committee 

To promote good governance and to demonstrate there is a clear separation between the council’s role as the Municipal Authority and the council’s role as shareholder, the Executive agreed the creation of an Executive Shareholder Committee. This new Committee of the Executive will fulfil the council’s role as sole shareholder in current and future Local Authority Trading Companies, such as Allerdale Waste Services which will shortly be providing waste services in the borough. 

Commenting on the report, Cllr Tony Markley, Executive member with responsibility for Environmental Services, said: “I’m really looking forward to the start of operations under this new company so that we can take greater control over the service, provide greater efficiencies and a flexible approach to the services on offer.”